From notes. Tasted on 12/12/12 from a capped 22oz bottle with Curtis, and the Nashville crew. Pours very dark brown with a thin tan head that leaves thin, bubbly lace. The nose is malty, roasted, and very hoppy with underlying oaky vanilla with a lightly vinous note. The flavor is very roasted and hoppy, but nicely balanced and easy to drink with the oak rounding everything out nicely. The body is full with light carbonation and a long roasted, hoppy, and vanilla oak finish.

From notes taken firm last week’s tasting.
Aroma is surprisingly hoppy, but rather piney, woodsy and grassy. Medium light grapefruit and citrus. Moderate roast notes.
Pours dark brown with a thick brown head with good retention. Moderate retention and lacing.
Flavor has moderate roast and light chocolate. Moderately strong bitterness with light oak. Moderate grassy hop notes with some woodsy character. Light grapefruit and berry notes.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Low astringency and low alcohol warmth.
Overall, this beer held up better than I expected. Hops are changing but still rather present. Not as much barrel character as I was expecting.

500 ml bottle via BA trade. Pours a deep brown with mahogany highlights and a small fizzy brown head. The beer is lighter than Jim but the head is darker. Strange but cool. Aroma of dark fruits and oak, definitely picking up the wine barrel character, along with dark chocolate, florals, citrus fruit, and herbs. Flavor of chocolate, roast, earth, citrus peel, and a deep, underlying vinous character throughout it all. Medium-bodied, with a vinous, mildly bitter, roasty mouthfeel. Medium carbonation. Really interesting black IPA. Stil drinking very well.

Good tan/brown head over virtually black beer; shards of lace. Chocolate, sweet liquorice, garden herbs and leaves. Stout-like taste, littel impact of the hops; again liquorice & chocolate. Finish yields the barrel-aging, even Bourbon (rather than wine), and a light, refreshing acidity. Rich MF, alleviated by fine CO˛ pearling. Rich for its purpose, barrel aging has done a world of good. Thanks to the kind donator!

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